Christmas traditions from A to Z

Published 7:13 pm, Monday, December 24, 2012

Holidays. They're about family, tradition, food. And, well, oftentimes food is a (big) part of tradition.

From funny to quirky to sweet, readers shared their Christmas traditions with us.

Nothing too crazy for me. Just the feast of the seven fishes and too many Italians in one house. I throw the food out and head to the garage with my wine to get some air. --—Kim Orapello, via Facebook

Growing up (unbeknownst to a small child) very poor, our Christmas tradition was my father going out on Christmas Eve, to procure our Christmas tree. The reason given to my younger sister and I, when we asked why our friends had trees weeks before, was that my parents had a special deal with Santa; that if we could wait till Christmas Eve to get a tree, he would do the honors of decorating it for us and we would all get to be surprised in the morning at the great and creative job he did. Of course, as I got older, I realized that we got our tree so late because the leftover trees were often discounted, and it was the only way that our family could afford a big and beautiful tree. Sometimes my father would be out late into the night trying to find the tree of his children's dreams. Christmas morning, my parents, weary eyed and exhausted from hours of lighting and decorating an often 6- to 7-foot tree, sat with my sister and I and gave everything they had to make our day wonderful. For this, I can never thank them enough. —MNA, via On the Edge

Every Christmas Eve we have an early dinner and then watch "Home Alone" with the kids while having hot cocoa and popcorn. Then my husband and I put the kids in bed and wait three hours for them to fall asleep so we can bring the presents up from the basement. Then we take all of our pics of the gifts, take a bite out of a cookie and crash. It's always an early morning on Christmas Day. —Angel Willis, via Facebook

My husband and brother- in-law save their beer bottles all summer long and then build a tree out of them on Christmas eve with lights and everything. Their goal for this year was to build a 6-foot tree. —Kelli, via On the Edge.

Around 6 p.m. my boys and I head out for Chinese food. Once the fortunes are read and the check is paid, we pile into the car and drive around town admiring the Christmas lights. Been doing that every year since I was a little girl with my parents and grandparents:) Now my grandson is the youngest yelling 'More lights, Gamma!' — Susan Vellano, via Facebook

On Christmas Eve, my family will play the record "Christmas is for Kids" that they got at a Big N store back in the '70s. Instead of "Frosty" and "Rudolph," we sing about "Morris the Moose," "Roly Poly the Polar Bear," "10,000 Santa Clauses," "Donner & Blitzen" and "Who's That Up on the Roof." If you go on YouTube you can hear all the songs, and they still hold up to this day. —Im-Bru via On the Edge.

Christmas night, after all the festivities, my family and my sister-in-law's family engage in a raucous game of Pokeno, really our own version that is more like Bingo. Winner of each round gets to pick a wrapped Dollar Store prize. Favorite prizes have included a tattoo sleeve, a do-rag, fake mustaches, rubber snot and fake hillbilly teeth. Many laughs are had by all. -—Mrs. Geek via On the Edge